Pool chair problems?

[foodiddiedoo]

How close to the end of June / July 4th week? There will be a spike in guests at SAB due to the heat, and the holiday travel build up of families may make the SAB a busy place.

However the Summer season is no longer the major crush of crowds it used to be so all is not lost. What are the ages of kids in the mixed group?

Dave

We'll be there from June 26th through July 1st after a cruise. We'll have a 5 year old, 9 and 11 year old with us.

 

[gottalovepluto]

We were at Wilderness lodge, where the main pool was madness and chairs were “all taken” (again, many by just towels for hours on end),

Nope. Taken by just towels- used or unused- the chair is fair game. I have zero qualms about throwing the towels in used towels and taking the loungers. Anyone comes up to me while I’m clearing them out I’ll just say sorry and leave- but no one has.

I did one time at Sapphire Falls use loungers out in front of where I was seated one morning. They had stuff and towels but it had been half an hour with no one around. About the time I was leaving the party came up and was like those are our loungers. “Ohh I’ve been here 3 hours and didn’t see anyone” and grabbed my towels and went back to “my” lounger which conveniently now in the shade. I’ll be honest- I was sorta looking forward to the looks on their faces on that one. I had spent the day at the pool while they had reserved a prime pool spot, spent the day at the park and rolled in around 3pm expecting their spots. I don’t want a fight so of course I gave it up but that behavior is only getting more common.

Disney does have signs “no reserving loungers with towels and or personal items” but they obviously don’t enforce. Heck they rarely even go through collecting used towels that people don’t return.

 

[Nabas]

Depending on the reso

Hi all, we're typically the type to be in the parks all day every day of our Disney trips. However, we're planning to do a day or two around the pool when we go this summer (early/mid August). We're still deciding where we want to stay and I'm wondering if any resorts are especially known for either being really tough to find pool chair availability or really great to find pool chairs for summer visits?

August has become one of the least busy times to visit WDW.

Since you asked about AKL and POFQ, we've been to both several times. The pool at AKL (i.e. Jambo House) is very large and has many chairs with some usually available throughout the day. However, the chairs available at peak times of day (roughly 11 am to 4 pm) typically are located outside the fenced in area. Shaded seating always is at a premium.

The pool at POFQ is considerably smaller with a lot less seating. Chairs can be tough to find. Last time we were there in August 2024, we twice ended up squeezed in behind the water slide, and felt somewhat lucky to get that as nothing else was available.

 

[Djm_in_buffalo]

Nope. Taken by just towels- used or unused- the chair is fair game. I have zero qualms about throwing the towels in used towels and taking the loungers. Anyone comes up to me while I’m clearing them out I’ll just say sorry and leave- but no one has.

I did one time at Sapphire Falls use loungers out in front of where I was seated one morning. They had stuff and towels but it had been half an hour with no one around. About the time I was leaving the party came up and was like those are our loungers. “Ohh I’ve been here 3 hours and didn’t see anyone” and grabbed my towels and went back to “my” lounger which conveniently now in the shade. I’ll be honest- I was sorta looking forward to the looks on their faces on that one. I had spent the day at the pool while they had reserved a prime pool spot, spent the day at the park and rolled in around 3pm expecting their spots. I don’t want a fight so of course I gave it up but that behavior is only getting more common.

Disney does have signs “no reserving loungers with towels and or personal items” but they obviously don’t enforce. Heck they rarely even go through collecting used towels that people don’t return.

I agree with this approach and have implemented it at various non-Disney properties. It gets a little awkward when say, the seating area only has +/- 10 total chairs and the people come back 30-60 minutes after I do it. Clearly they weren’t in the pool / ocean / lake when I did. But it’s not their house, it’s a finite, communal resource that they’re trying to bogart. So tough cookies.

I haven’t done it at WDW yet, as we’ve had little kid(s) physically in our arms at the time, so we just do a quick skim for clear open chairs. When the kids get a little older, it’s fair game again.

Heck, when the pool seating is fairly large such as at a place like Disney, I wouldn’t be surprised if people who return hours later don’t even remember which towels in a sea of toweled chairs represent ‘their chairs’.

 

[happyuser2025]

This has been a problem for years at the Deluxe resorts. I think the simplest fix would be a time limit system, like what some cruise lines use. If a chair is unattended for more than 30 minutes, staff can clear it. That way everyone gets a fair shot.

 

[Dave006]

We'll be there from June 26th through July 1st after a cruise. We'll have a 5 year old, 9 and 11 year old with us.

It may not matter since you have a 5 year old you will not be sitting much at SAB unless your 9, and 11 year old are strong swimmers and the 5 year old just wants to spend time playing at the sand area.

The busy time tends to be about 11 - 4 PM when families take a break from the parks. As a reminder there are 3 additional pools beyond SAB.

Dave

 

[Willows909]

Just got back from Destino Towers Coronado Springs and we always had plenty of chair spaces at The Dig pool site. I previous had extreme difficulties finding chairs at grand Floridian. Great resort btw

How about the tables? It doesn't look as though there are many.. My husband and I love to sit and play cribbage while at the pool.

 

[brockash]

Any suggestions for Beach Club at the end of June? I had BLT booked for a trip with our friends’ family but they wanted to do Beach Club Villas specifically for the pool. I don’t enjoy spending more than an hour or two at a pool, so I’m hoping it’s not miserable to find a place to sit while the kids swim.

We didn't have much of an issue at Stormalong...last time we were there was 2019, but it was the middle of July and we used the pool A LOT and have no trouble finding chairs.

 

[brockash]

Nope. Taken by just towels- used or unused- the chair is fair game. I have zero qualms about throwing the towels in used towels and taking the loungers. Anyone comes up to me while I’m clearing them out I’ll just say sorry and leave- but no one has.

I did one time at Sapphire Falls use loungers out in front of where I was seated one morning. They had stuff and towels but it had been half an hour with no one around. About the time I was leaving the party came up and was like those are our loungers. “Ohh I’ve been here 3 hours and didn’t see anyone” and grabbed my towels and went back to “my” lounger which conveniently now in the shade. I’ll be honest- I was sorta looking forward to the looks on their faces on that one. I had spent the day at the pool while they had reserved a prime pool spot, spent the day at the park and rolled in around 3pm expecting their spots. I don’t want a fight so of course I gave it up but that behavior is only getting more common.

Disney does have signs “no reserving loungers with towels and or personal items” but they obviously don’t enforce. Heck they rarely even go through collecting used towels that people don’t return.

Lol...guess it's a good thing no one did the same as you and took "your" lounger behind you.

 

[brockash]

How about the tables? It doesn't look as though there are many.. My husband and I love to sit and play cribbage while at the pool.

Tables were even harder to come by at CSR...if you're ok not being at the main pool; you may have better luck.

 

[foodiddiedoo]

It may not matter since you have a 5 year old you will not be sitting much at SAB unless your 9, and 11 year old are strong swimmers and the 5 year old just wants to spend time playing at the sand area.

The busy time tends to be about 11 - 4 PM when families take a break from the parks. As a reminder there are 3 additional pools beyond SAB.

Dave

So the only reason we’re staying there is for SAB. My best friend thinks it’s like having a water park at your hotel, and we moved from BLT to BCV just to get it “out of her system”. The 5 and 9 year olds are her kiddos and mine is the 11 who is a good swimmer. I (incorrectly) thought she’d be thrilled to do BLT for her 5 year old’s first trip to Disney World because of the ease of getting to MK, but this time the focus is POOL! I’ll be going for most of the rest of my life, so I will see how being able to walk to Epcot and HS bodes for us. I am a rental car person when it comes to Disney, but I guess we’ll have to concede to bus at MK. Can you tell I’m mildly grumpy for spending my DVC points this way haha?

 

[petrola]

I really do think a lot depends on the week you are going. April break (my kids always get the week of Easter off) is always going to be a challenge. We've stayed at many different resorts and the Polynesian's main pool was the most difficult to find even one chair.

 

[Dave006]

So the only reason we’re staying there is for SAB. My best friend thinks it’s like having a water park at your hotel, and we moved from BLT to BCV just to get it “out of her system”.

Yes SAB is a great pool but it is really spread out. Your 11 year old, and the 9 year old are likely old enough to have free reign, and want to spend time going down the large / small slides. The entrance to the large slide is outside of the SAB fence so they will need some adult supervision.

There is also a lazy river for everyone in your group to enjoy but the 5 year will need to have an adult with them at all times even just sitting, and playing in the sand area of the pool.

When my kids were under 11 they could spend the entire day at SAB, and maybe we could enjoy a short evening at HS, Epcot or even MK before they passed out.

Dave

 

[gottalovepluto]

Lol...guess it's a good thing no one did the same as you and took "your" lounger behind you.

Wouldn’t have cared. Was in sun lol.

 

[gottalovepluto]

We didn't have much of an issue at Stormalong...last time we were there was 2019, but it was the middle of July and we used the pool A LOT and have no trouble finding chairs.

But that was 2019. Pool chair reserving everywhere found a brand new gear post-Covid. Can you even imagine people rope dropping SAB back then for pool chairs?

 

[Disneylover99]

But that was 2019. Pool chair reserving everywhere found a brand new gear post-Covid. Can you even imagine people rope dropping SAB back then for pool chairs?

Rope dropping SAB has been a thing for as long as I can remember.

When we were there in 2015 there were lines to get in every morning of our trip so people could grab premium spots.

 

[brockash]

So the only reason we’re staying there is for SAB. My best friend thinks it’s like having a water park at your hotel, and we moved from BLT to BCV just to get it “out of her system”. The 5 and 9 year olds are her kiddos and mine is the 11 who is a good swimmer. I (incorrectly) thought she’d be thrilled to do BLT for her 5 year old’s first trip to Disney World because of the ease of getting to MK, but this time the focus is POOL! I’ll be going for most of the rest of my life, so I will see how being able to walk to Epcot and HS bodes for us. I am a rental car person when it comes to Disney, but I guess we’ll have to concede to bus at MK. Can you tell I’m mildly grumpy for spending my DVC points this way haha?

For what it's worth...we LOVED our stay at YC and really love the whole Boardwalk area. We've also stayed at BLT a few times and really enjoy it there too, bit honestly given the option we'd generally choose BCVs (to be in the area and the pool) over BLT. Really can't go wrong with either.

 

[brockash]

But that was 2019. Pool chair reserving everywhere found a brand new gear post-Covid. Can you even imagine people rope dropping SAB back then for pool chairs?

Yes, there was rope dropping the pool then as well lol. We even rope dropped it one day. We've been going to Disney mult. times a year since 2004 and have not found much change at the pools in terms of crowds. Like I said, we didn't have any issues at Stormalong (my opinion is they have a good amount of seating and shade (looking at you CSR) compared to others.

By far our biggest issue was Grand Floridian followed by CSR.

 

[Disneylover99]

In August when there are usually daily thunderstorms, chair saving is the worst first thing in the morning leading up to the afternoon storms.

Once guests are cleared out of the pool area due to pool closures, all the towels and personal items that get left behind get cleared off chairs, so it’s always a good time to grab a chair and go swimming right after the pool re-opens.

 

[Gentry2004]

Storm Along Bay at YC / BC or the Lava pool at the Polynesian tend to be very busy during the peak times of 11-4 PM most days during the summer.

Dave

Is there a quieter pool at Poly you recommend? We are going late July with older teens who just want to sunbathe/take a quick dip.